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Relationship between weight‐related behavioral profiles and health outcomes by sexual orientation and gender
Author(s) -
VanKim Nicole A.,
Erickson Darin J.,
Eisenberg Marla E.,
Lust Katherine,
Rosser B.R. Simon,
Laska Melissa N.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.21516
Subject(s) - sexual orientation , sexual minority , obesity , psychological intervention , quality of life (healthcare) , medicine , psychology , reproductive health , gerontology , demography , latent class model , clinical psychology , environmental health , social psychology , population , psychiatry , sociology , statistics , nursing , mathematics
Objective Examine relationships between weight‐related factors and weight status, body dissatisfaction, chronic health conditions, and quality of life across sexual orientation and gender. Methods Two‐ and four‐year college students participated in the College Student Health Survey ( n = 28,703; 2009–2013). Risk differences were calculated to estimate relationships between behavioral profiles and weight status, body satisfaction, diagnosis of a chronic condition, and quality of life, stratified by gender and sexual orientation. Four behavioral profiles, characterized as “healthier eating habits, more physically active,” “healthier eating habits,” “moderate eating habits,” and “unhealthy weight control,” were utilized based on latent class analyses, estimated from nine weight‐related behavioral survey items. Results Sexual orientation differences in weight and quality of life were identified. For example, sexual minority groups reported significantly poorer quality of life than their heterosexual counterparts (females: 22.5%–38.6% (sexual minority) vs. 19.8% (heterosexual); males: 14.3%–26.7% (sexual minority) vs. 11.8% (heterosexual)). Compared with the “healthier eating habits, more physically active” profile, the “unhealthy weight control” profile was associated with obesity, poor body satisfaction, and poor quality of life in multiple gender/sexual orientation subgroups. Conclusions Interventions are needed to address obesity, body dissatisfaction, and poor quality of life among sexual minority college students.